If you haven't guessed it yet, I am very proud of my Scottish roots. I am Waterford's token Scot, wheeled out on the odd occasion, to give my views and opinions on WLR and all manner of topics. Never a "Flowery” answer from this Garland!

Annually, on the 25th January, we kilt wearing loons (Aberdonian for boys), celebrate the life of one of Scotland's greatest exports. Robert Burns Esquire, Scotland's National Bard. He was and still is our people's champion. Rabbie, as we refer to him, was born in the year of our Lord 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, his father a very, very poor tenant farmer. He grew up to become immeasurably famous and revered, for his creative poetry and verse. He would articulate a social commentary, on the injustices of life in Scotland, in

Private Equity [PE] firms raise money from wealthy individuals, pension funds and insurance companies. They source deals to acquire companies, perform the required due diligence and use the money raised, to close those deals.

The new PE equity investor will usually have specialist knowledge of particular sectors. Using that expertise, they seek to improve the acquired companies' operations; cut costs and tighten up the management structures. Once they have carried out these tasks, they seek to sell individual companies to make a profit for their investors.

Private equity firms target companies for takeover based on a variety of metrics such as the type of products produced; the company's marketing strategy; the quality or otherwise of senior management; the sector the business operates within; its financial performance and valuation and potential exit strategies.

The price of the average three-bed semi in Waterford City rose by 8.3% to €195,000 in the last 12 months, according to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance.

And after prices increased by 2.6% between September and December 2017, local agents are predicting that property values will rise by 7.5% in the coming year.

Three-bed semis in Waterford County experienced a 3% increase in 2017, with the average price now €170,000, and agents predicting a 5% increase in 2018.

"The attraction of the 'Help To Buy' grant and the higher energy rating in new homes is attractive to first-time buyers and may slow the increase in values of second hand semi-detached houses in 2018,” according to Des O'Shea of REA O'Shea O'Toole in Waterford City.

"It is evident that the cash buyer is now a diminishing factor. The vast majority of

"I don’t believe it!" We’re not even two weeks into the New Year and already there are Cream Eggs in many of the larger supermarkets. The shelves are beginning to fill and bulge, with all manner of chocolate gooey ovalness. With the annual Halloween "Trick or

Treating", has now merged, seamlessly, into baubles and tinsel, New Year and Easter appear to be rolling together as well. Soon there will be absolutely NO separation between our seasonal festivities and that’s a shame. Our year will be truncated by one big commercial temptation, with no time to rejoice or rest, for that matter.

I was asked the other day, whilst on the Friday Panel of Eamon Keane’s Déise Today programme, if I’ve made any New Year resolutions? I told Eamon and his

Monetary policy appears to be headed towards an inflection point. The extraordinary support from central banks is being scaled back as economies improve and financial markets remain calm.

Investors seem sceptical about how much central banks will raise interest rates by, because inflation remains stubbornly low across most of the advanced world.

Historically, declining unemployment has been closely followed by increases in inflation. This relationship, described as the Phillips Curve, appears to have weakened significantly since the financial crisis. In economies like the USA, Germany and Japan, where unemployment rates have fallen below natural rates, there is little sign of inflation pressures building. Economists are debating if the Phillips Curve model has broken down or if policy needs to remain looser for longer to overcome the cyclical and structural forces weighing on inflation.

House prices are expected to continue to rise in 2018 but at a slightly slower pace due to a tightening of the Central Bank lending rules according to the latest house price report from MyHome.ie

The report, which is published in association with Davy, predicts house prices will rise by 8% overall in 2018, split between double digit growth outside the capital and a rise of 6 or 7% in Dublin.

While asking prices fell back by 1% nationally in the final quarter and 0.4% in Dublin– as per normal seasonal trends - 2017 was a year of robust inflation, with prices rising by 10.2% nationally and 11.1% in Dublin.

The median asking price for new sales nationally was €242,000 in the final quarter. In Dublin the median price was €330,000 compared with €195,000 in the rest of Ireland.

- Minister should reconsider commercial rates on the same basis as Local Property Tax

- Budget 2019 may be the last opportunity for this Government to reform commercial rates system

ISME, the Irish SME Association today (8th January) welcomes the comments made by Minster Murphy last weekend on the changes to the Local Property Tax. ISME stated in its 2018 pre-budget submission, property taxes based on current market valuations are volatile.

Commenting on this announcement ISME CEO NeilMcDonnell said "Commercial rates (and LPT) which are pegged to and calculated on current market valuations, are subject to rapid change and unpredictable change. Such a policy is not a sensible basis for the levying of any tax. It serves only to penalise owners of private and commercial property in urban areas, particularly Dublin, Cork and Galway".

"It is only logical that Minister Murphy reconsiders commercial rates on the

New to the market with Sherry FitzGerald John Rohan is a prime development site circa 1 acre in Kingsmeadow approximately 2km south west of Waterford city centre on the Cork Road mid way between Waterford Institute of Technology Cork Road and Manor St campus. The subject site is located on a corner site at the Kingsmeadow Roundabout adjacent to Aldi, the Regional Sports Centre, Maxol service station, Party World, Mr. Price, Colourtrend, Euronics and Speedyhire. This is a densely populated area with easy access to all areas within the city and beyond.

Zoned "General Business" within the Waterford City Council Area Development Plan 2013-2019, this zoning objective is to provide and improve general business use. This includes car park & park & ride facility, child care facility, community facility, enterprise centre, garden centre, health centre, light industry, medical & related consultants,

Aren’t traditions great? In Scotland, we celebrate Hogmanay, on December 31st, the last day of the year past. Looking back on what has gone, rather than towards what is yet to come. Unlike our "Auld Enemy”, those Sassenachs down South, we do our own thing, we’ve done for time immemorial.

This tradition also involves "The First Foot”. The taller and darker the preferred male "First Footer”, the better. He is the first person to cross the doorstep or threshold, of a friend or neighbour, post the midnight "Bells”. He brings with him emblematic gifts of coal, salt, shortbread, fruit cake (often Black Bun). Ensuring the household will have warmth and food a’ plenty, in the coming year. He’ll also bring a "Wee dram” in the form of Whisky, possibly even a fine malt, sharing and toasting

The Gardaí have issued a warning to Irish drivers about the emerging fraudulent practice known as "Ghost Broking”. Ghost Brokers pose as legitimate insurance intermediaries selling cheap insurance policies. In reality, their policies are fake and not worth the paper they are written on.

Insurance is important to protect the things we love and when it comes to car insurance, it is essential that you have the correct cover. Car insurance is a compulsory requirement for motorists in Ireland and it is crucial to have sufficient cover in the event that you cause an accident.

A Ghost Broker is not authorised to sell insurance to the public and is not supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland. A Ghost Broker is acting illegally by pretending to be an insurance broker. In many cases, the Ghost

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Letters to the Editor

The Government wants us to vote "yes" in the abortion referendum in order to delete unborn children's right to life and allow abortion on demand in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion campaigners claim that there is no human being yet alive by this point. That's why they think abortion on demand is permissible.They are completely wrong. By 12 weeks the baby in the womb has a beating heart, can swallow and yawn, can kick, stretch and jump, has arms, legs, fingers and toes, has fingernails and hair, h …